Netizens are currently debating online whether the defacing of the Robert the Bruce statue in Borestone, Scotland could have been an act of trolling, a provocation aimed at discrediting the Black Lives Matter movement or an act of genuine ignorance.
The monument was vandalized with “racist king” lettering signed by “BLM”, while a nearby rotunda was spray painted with “Robert was a racist bring down the statue”. However, sharp-witted observers quickly noticed that the 14th century king died long before the Atlantic slave trade was established and thus had physically nothing to do with slavery and the racial prejudices highlighted by the BLM campaign.
If you want to learn about IQ level and history knowledge of ultra left "protesters" just look at this picture.
— Ivan Ihorovych (@IvanIhorovych) June 14, 2020
Robert Bruce, the king who fought for freedom. In 13th century. Found to be racist!#Scotland #AllLivesMatter #Edinburgh #BREAKING #NEWS #protests pic.twitter.com/b2SSXIemOA
To those idiots that spray painted 'Racist king' on The Robert The Bruce statue, the slave trade didn't find its way to Scotland while he was alive, it was centuries after, in fact it's unlikely that the Scots even knew about Africa at that time!#screwtheracistBLMmovement
— Ross McEwan (@scottishpoet71) June 12, 2020
Following this conclusion, speculation grew that the defacing of the statue could have had some ulterior motives behind it.
“Thinking a bit about the whole Robert Bruce was a racist graffiti thing. I honestly think it's not sincere/trolling, but it is interesting thinking where do you draw the lines on who is judged from the past”, one social media user shared on Twitter.
“I’m not actually noticing anybody claiming to agree with the vandalism of Robert The Bruce statue; which makes me think it’s been done for more dishonest purposes”, another one argued.
Anyone watching that @BBCScotlandNews report on the Robert the Bruce statue graffiti would have been left with the distinct impression that it was done by people who support #BlackLivesMattter, rather by people clearly trying to discredit them. Shockingly poor journalism.
— Scott Cuthbertson (@ScotCuthbertson) June 12, 2020
watch aw the racist eejits show themselves up by trying to argue that the robert bruce statue vandalism might actually have been done by a blm supporter lmao
— Jules 🌈 (@jellylegsjules) June 12, 2020
“Robert Bruce wasn’t racist”, another user commented. “if you think this was anything to do with BLM then you’re as stupid as the people who did this to the statue”.
1, Robert Bruce wasn’t racist.
— Andy Young (@AndyYoung90) June 12, 2020
2, if you think this was anything to do with BLM then you’re as stupid as the people who did this to the statue. https://t.co/jxU97x3216
The crusade against monuments around the world has come as part of the Black Lives Matter campaign following the death of African American George Floyd in police custody on 25 May. Many activists rushed to protest against police brutality and racial prejudice as apparently exemplified in movies, shows and cultural artefacts, including statues of public and political figures, including that of Britain's wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill.
